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Arti's Guide to Names
This is a guide. Prologue - Names Sometimes the hardest part of writing a story is coming up with names. You know the character is a gray she-cat with pale blue eyes. She's in RiverClan, but she loves water voles. You know your character hates thunderstorms but loves sprinkling rain. You can basically recite her history from when she was a tiny kit. But you need a name. Probably the first or second most common blog on this site is about names, giving names, ideas for names, etc.. It's can actually be a pretty tough thing. If you add in the factors of all the users here with all their stories and all their cats with all their names, it can be really ''hard to find an original name that you like. So....in short, that's why Arti's Guide is here. To help you come up with names and stuff. :) There are several other guides to names on the site, but I'm hoping mine can still help you. So enjoy! Chapter 1 - Rogues, Kittypets, Loners Rogues, kittypets, and loners can be the easiest cats to make names for. They can be pretty much anything, such as ordinary names like Tom, to Clan-like names like Tadpole. And, if they're a kittypet, were named by Twolegs, or live in Twolegplace, they know about things that Clan cats don't. Rogues Rogues are probably the roughest of the three, and therefore tend to have names that reflect it. Most rogues don't have Twoleg names like 'Jake' or 'Susan' (they can, most don't) and they don't have Clan names. Usually rogue names have to do with where ever they live (for rogues living in Twoleg-Place- Brick, Scratch, Rat; for rogues living in the wild: Hawk, Claw, Brook). Rogue names can also reflect on the cat. Typically BloodClan cats (I'll get to BloodClan names later. :) ) have fierce names like Snake, Scorch, Claw, ect. Rogues who are born in Twolegplace can just have names like Brick, Rat, ect. When you're naming a rogue, it's important to remember a few things. *Where the rogue is from (wild, Twolegplace...) *What the rogue is like(Sweet, shy she-cat or battle hungry tom...) and what they look like (gray tom, speckled she-cat...) *If the rogue belongs to any groups (BloodClan, like Stripes' group...) Loners Loners border between kittypets and rogues, so it can be easy or hard to name them. Sometimes they have Twoleg names (like Purdy) and other times they have names pertaining to nature or the wild (Barley.) Loners usually live in barns, or in the wild. The only distinction between loners and rogues is that rogues interfere with the Clans, in a bad way. When you're naming your loner, just remember that you have to be careful. You can name your loner something like Scratch, but don't go too far making them seem fierce like a rogue. And you can name them something like Jackson, but it won't make sense unless they have a background with Twolegs or in Twolegplace. Kittypets Kittypets are the easiest to name. You can name them everything from 'Bob' to 'Ruby' to 'Leafy'. Kittypets can have Twoleg names, names that pertain to nature....pretty much anything. And because they live with Twolegs, they know about things the Clan cats, rogues, and loners don't like jewels (Ruby, Emerald). So when you're naming your kittypet, there's really only a few boundaries. Don't name your kittypet 'Emo' or 'Video Game'. Don't name them anything you wouldn't name a cat that you had. ( I know, we all name our cats after Warriors, but let's pretend we don't. xD) Another helpful article would be this by Wetty. Chapter 2 - BloodClan BloodClan names are similar to rogue names. Most BloodClan cats seem to be toms, but I'm sure there have been/could be female BloodClan cats. BloodClan names usually are fierce (Bone, Ice, Scourge...). If you name your BloodClan cat something like 'Susie' or 'Mouse Heart', unless your writing a story about how they were ridiculed, you should change their names. Remember, BloodClan cats aren't like kittypets. They don't know about Twoleg things so don't name them 'Diamond' or something. You can name them after things that are in Twolegplace , like 'Brick', but really, for a BloodClan cat that seems uncommon. If your BloodClan cat is a she-cat, ask yourself a few questions. Is she there to distract enemies with her prettiness? Them give her a pretty name like 'Flower' or 'Cherry'. Was her father a great warrior and she's following in his footsteps? Give her a fierce name, maybe even slightly over the top. She does have to prove herself after all. Is she a prisoner? Maybe BloodClan changes her name to something demeaning like 'Trash' or 'Rubbish Bin'. You see? So just keep those things in mind while naming your BloodClan cat. :) Chapter 3 - Tribe Tribe names are definitely slightly more difficult then rogue, kittypets, loners, and BloodClan names. Tribe cats usually name their kits for the first thing they see once they're born. Which doesn't mean name your Tribe cat 'Wall of Cave' or 'Ceiling of Cave'. But it also means you can't name your cat after something far away from the Tribe's camp or something they wouldn't be able to see. Also, keep in mind that Tribes are even more restricted in some ways then the Clan cats. They even really know about forests or lakes or other things you might find in the Clan territories but not in the Tribe territories. And, of course, they don't know about anything about Twolegplaces. Also, Tribe cats have a different set of beliefs and names. They have no problem calling themselves Thunder, Wind, River, Shadow, Moon, or Star which are special words for the Clan cats. How ever they might not use things like 'Stone' or 'Water'. It depends how you look at it. And Tribe names are more then one or two or even three words. No Tribe cat will ever be named 'Light' or 'Cave Light' or 'Light in Cave'. But something like 'Light that Brightens Cave' or 'Light that Shines in Cave'. Also, Tribe cats technically have 2 names. Their full name (Brook where Small Fish Swim) and their short name (Brook). So keep all these things in mind when naming your Tribe cat. Chapter 4- SkyClan SkyClan names are fairly simple, like regular Clan names. However they do have the strange twist of daylight warriors. Daylight warriors can be pretty hard to name. First you have to come up with a rogue/loner/kittypet name (see chapter 1) then you have to make it a Clan name by adding a suffix or maybe a prefixes. (Harveymoon, Frecklewish, etc.). Regular SkyClan cats have warrior names, but it's up to you to interpret how they make them different. You could write it as though they have no difference in names between themselves and Clan cats, or you could write it as though Sandstorm and Firestar taught them, not StarClan, that SkyClan cats have slightly different names then the other Clans. Because most SkyClan cats used to be rogues or kittypets, they're names have usually been modified only slightly, so unless they were born ''in the Clan, don't make your SkyClan cats' name completely like a normal Clan cat's name. (ex. Leaf- Leafdapple, Scratch- Sharpclaw). I suggest figuring out your SkyClan cats' histories before you name them. If you figure out whther or not they're a daylight Warrior, born in the Clan, a former kittypet or rogue, or a founding member, then it will be much easier to name them. Chapter 5 - ShadowClan On to ShadowClan. ShadowClan is perhaps the darkest of the Clans, living in the swamps and marshes, hunting and fighting by night. They are cunning and clever and ambitious. When you're naming your ShadowClan cat, keep these things in mind. ShadowClan cats would never ever ever ever allow a kittypet or loner to join their ranks, so unless your story is about that unlikely event, under no circumstances let your ShadowClan cat have a kittypet sounding name. When Clan cats are named after prey, they're usually named after the prey in their ''territory, so your ShadowClan cat will probably be called 'Frog' or 'Newt' or 'Toad' instead of 'Squirrel' or 'Fish' or 'Rabbit'. You see? Shadow, Thunder, Wind, and River aren't used as Clan names, but you can feel free to use prefixes like 'Shade' or other synonyms. Clan names can also reflect their territories. So for a ShadowClan cat you may use the prefixes 'Pine' or 'Marsh' instead of 'Forest' or 'Stream'. See? ShadowClan cats also tend to have darker pelts, a trait passed down from many generations. This helps then hunt in the night. So your name can also reflect their dark fur or stealthy abilities. But ShadowClan cats can have regular Clan names too. Don't make all your ShadowClan cats' names be about ShadowClan cats. Add some that describe pelts or personalities. Names that any Clan cat could have. You could call them generic, I guess. More info on Clan names and rules will be in a few chapters... Chapter 6 - RiverClan RiverClan cats are the proud strong warriors who live almost as well in water as they do on land. The reside in the creeks, streams and islands and their marked pelts define them almost as much as their name. Like I said with ShadowClan, keep RiverClan's territory in mind when you name your cat. RiverClan cats have names like 'Stream', 'Wave', 'Ripple', etc. Their prey also influences their name, (Volepaw, Fishpelt, etc). Since RiverClan sometimes hunts in the partial forest on their territory, you could, in theory, have something like 'squirrel' or 'bird', but it's advisable to stick to water creatures. In Bluestar's Prophecy, and throughout the books, it is mentioned that RiverClan cats have very clearly marked pelts (tabbies, patches, etc.). So it's more likely you will be naming your RiverClan cat 'Dappled' or 'Stripe' then you will something else. Also, RiverClan cats seem to usually be blue and gray. Not always, but it is most of the time, so prefixes like 'Gray', 'Silver', or 'Blue' might help you. And again, like ShadowClan cats, RiverClan cat names aren't always defined by the cat being RiverClan. A cat named 'Blazepelt', or 'Grayshine' could be in any of the Clans. So don't make all of your Clan with all RiverClan-ish names or all generic names. Mix it up. :) Chapter 7 - WindClan WindClan cats are the lithe warriors of the moor. They love to run and hunt rabbits, preferring to live under the sky then in dens. WindClan territory doesn't give so much opportunity for names as the other territories. You could name them 'Moor' something or something to do with trees, even though there aren't very many in WindClan territory. WindClan cats also tend to have brown or lightly colored pelts. This might be because there is no cover in their territory and they need it to blend in. So your cat is more likely to have a name beginning with 'Brown', 'Tan', etc., then 'Black', 'Gray', or 'White'. But it's not impossible. Since WindClan cats pretty much exist on only rabbits, it's more likely that your cat will be named 'Rabbit' then anything else. But WindClan cats also see more birds and Twoleg farmer things then anything else. So a name like 'Crow', 'Eagle', or even 'Horse' would be acceptable. And of course, as always, remember to mix up names between unique and generic. Chapter 8 - ThunderClan ThunderClan is the Clan of forests and trees, of bravery and questioning the rules. ThunderClan's territory probably makes them the easiest to name. ThunderClan names can range from 'Forest', to 'Stream', to 'Rock' to 'Sand' to 'Moss', ThunderClan cats reside mainly in the forest, but there are streams and all kinds of trees (Oak, Birch, etc.) and different plants (Fern, Bush, Moss). There are probably over 20 different prefixes or suffixes that could be names for ThunderClan cats. ThunderClan cats also have the most vary in prey. Squirrels, Rabbits, Birds, Voles, Mice, etc. And all of those can be prefixes for your cat. :) ThunderClan cats are also super varied in their fur colors. Tabbies, torties, white, black, brown, golden, blue....pretty much everything. And of course, all those can be used as names as well. And, even if you're not following the actual Warriors series, ThunderClan cats are far more tolerant of loners and kittypets joining their ranks. So you can have your ThunderClan cat with a loner or kittypet sounding name or a one word name. But be careful not to border on Daylight-Warrior names because in the four normal Clans, it's either your old name or a completely Clan one. ThunderClan cats are the easiest to name probably, because they can pretty much be named anything and everything. So just keep those few hints in mind when you're naming your ThunderClan cat. Chapter 9 - Making Sense? A lot of times, people will tell you that names should make sense. Examples: *Whitefur *Squirreltail *Lionheart *Greeneyes And, you get it, right? But I really think that names don't have to make sense. Some of the coolest warrior names don't make any sense whatsoever. Examples: *Hawkfrost *Willowshine *Barkface You see? Some people think it's absolutely wrong and un-Warriorslike to name a cat that. But I don't think it is, as long as it's within limits. So for names like 'Strawberrydream' (Thanks Forest. xD)....that is NOT a good name. 'Pineconeheart'. NOT a good name. You see? I'll do a chapter later on names like that which you should never ever use. So as long as it combines two Warriors prefixes and suffixes and it's not completely obscure, I think it's okay. You can post in the comments if you have questions about the ridiculousness of names. Chapter 10 - Awful Names Alright.... Warrior names can be really tricky sometimes. There are some things that are totally awful and you should know to not name your cats that, but there are some names that border between 'good' and 'horrible'. Let's start with the easy ones. Warriors 'DO NOT''' know about Twoleg things. If you name your cat 'Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Glass,' or anything like that, change it! Warriors do not know about things like emo, video games, computers, or things like that. And don't laugh, I've seen names like that. They don't make for a good story. There are names too that are absolutely awful, even if they don't use names like the ones above. For instance 'Brokenheart'. I've seen it dozens of time. You may think it sounds sad and romantic, but it doesn't. It really doesn't. Names like 'Lostheart' or 'Twilightlove' aren't warrior names. Their RP names that don't really belong in serious fanfics. However, if you're writing a spoof and you want some bad names, I totally endorse the names I mentioned above. :) Really, you just have to use common sense. If you need to, like I said before, ask someone with experience. It's not that hard, I know you guys are all super creative. :) Chapter 11 - Unusual Name Changes Changing the names of cats other then the normal 'paw', warrior name, and maybe 'star' occurs in two main ways. When a cat is an elder, they get their name changed sometimes to show they have aged or lost a bodypart or something. (One-eye, Halftail, etc.) If you decide to change an elder's name because of something like this, remember. It's not like they just decided 'Hey, I'd like to be Snookfur for a day!' It's usually because they go blind or loose some of their ear or something. So if you re-name an elder, make sure it's not just one regular name to another. Make it one regular name to something like 'Grumbleheart' or 'Brokenleg'. You see? The other reason a cat's name can be changed is if an apprentice is dying and they have proven themselves worthy to be a warrior in StarClan. This happened with Brightheart. For this, remember. The apprentice will be close to death. Whether they survive or not is up to you, but they've been super badly injured because of a large act of bravery. So their name should reflect it. Like Brightheart. Instead of a normal name like 'Brightfur' or 'Brightpelt', her name shows the brightness, the courage inside of her. So suffixes like 'heart', 'blaze', 'claw', 'fire', 'light, 'song', or 'spirit' are good. You want to highlight their bravery and awesome, now their flaws or falls. That's how to name a cat who gets an unexpected name change. :) Chapter 12 - Helpful Articles Here are some other helpful articles and ideas for names. Enjoy! :D Larke's Guide to Creating and Naming Characters - Another new guide, actually pretty helpful. :) 2,000 Kittypet Names - I already mentioned this, but it's really, really useful. List of Names - Extremely helpful. I definately recommend. :D I'll add more if I think of them or find them. Epilogue I hope this helped. I'll be adding more chapters as needed or if I think of anything else. Give me feedback on how helpful this was, please! Thanks, and I hope to read your stories- with their great names. :) ~Arti Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics Category:Guide